UNDP Jobs - 54535- International Consultant for the Preparation of th

International Consultant for the Preparation of the Project Identification Form (PIF), GEF/UNDP Project Document and CEO Template

Location :

Beirut, LEBANON

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

01-Apr-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Twenty (20) days from the start of contract

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Twenty (20) days from the start of contract

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Lebanon is a signatory of all Rio Conventions and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements such as the Ramsar Convention and the Protocol Concerning Mediterranean Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean, the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, etc. The unsustainable exploitation of land resources is one of the main environmental threats hampering the ability of Lebanon to meet its environmental commitments. Indeed, the potential impact and related threats of quarries and sand removal activities in Lebanon have been captured in many reports and studies. For instance, quarrying appears in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (MoE 1998) as one of the main threats to Lebanon’s biodiversity with impacts extending to neighboring and downhill habitats. Since 1998, the NBSAP and National reports to the CBD highlight regularly the need for rehabilitation of degraded or abandoned zones. The main conclusions of Lebanon’s Fourth National report to the CBD (MoE 2009) refer to the absence of a direct reference to biodiversity within the National Master Plan for Quarries. In addition, Lebanon’s National Action Programme to Combat Desertification (MoA 2003) mentions that no attempt has been made to stabilize mountainsides and abandoned rock quarries in the perspectives of rehabilitation and restoration. Other than the loss of vegetation cover, quarrying on steep mountainsides inevitably results in an increased tendency to slope failure, landslides, soil and gulley erosion with impact on ecosystems and their resilience. The Third Country report to the UNCCD (MoA 2005) states that the different ecosystems in Lebanon are threatened by quarries and industrial development amongst other things. This dimension is also recaptured in the Second Report on the state of plant genetic resources for the FAO (MoA 2007) stating that the Lebanese forestry system has been seriously affected during the last three decades mainly because of overgrazing, over-harvesting, quarrying and urbanization. Unlicensed quarries and the significant pressures of unsustainable quarrying are once more highlighted in the Lebanese State of the Environment Report (MoE/UNDP/Ecodit 2011) flagging also the cost of environmental degradation attributed to the quarrying sector, estimated at 0.1% of the national GDP i.e. USD 34.5 million for the year 2004. Again, the need to mainstream biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management in policy and legislation development related to quarrying appear as well in the Second Communication Report to UNFCCC (MoE 2011) as a requirement for Climate adaptation under the Forestry Adaptation Action Plan.

Finally, at the level of the Ministry of Environment, there have been many efforts aimed at organizing quarries exploitation and rehabilitation which culminated in the promulgation of the Decree 8803/2002 and its amendment Decree 16456/2006, which regulates quarries exploitation. Decree 8803 requires rehabilitating abandoned quarries, illegal ones or others that are no longer operating. Additionally, the Ministry has issued a number of decisions in 2011 defining license conditions and documents required for the permitting of quarrying and sand removal activities, including a revision of the guarantees’ amounts requested from the operators. Although no concrete rehabilitation measures have been implemented to date, the Ministry has initiated a number of studies aiming at better understanding the sector, barriers to the rehabilitation process, as well as the technical and financial requirements of the works in parallel to working on developing the administrative, legal, and financial mechanisms required for processing their implementation. It has also developed in 2011 a draft programme law for the rehabilitation of quarries sites aiming to secure once approved a sum of USD 4 million for rehabilitation works, thus testifying to the commitment of the Government of Lebanon and of the Ministry of Environment in particular in enhancing sustainable land management in the quarrying sector.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the consultancy

This consultancy is will cover a two-phase approach: the first is for the formulation of the GEF Project Identification Form (PIF) and the second phase will be for the preparation of the GEF the GEF/UNDP project document and CEO endorsement (if and once the PIF is approved by the GEF Secretariat).

If and once the PIF is approved, UNDP Lebanon may hire the services of a national consultant to support the International Consultant with the necessary survey work, assessments, consultations and other data gathering needs for the preparation of the GEF documents.

Key Task and responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Regional Technical Advisor and in close collaboration with the Head of the Energy and Environment Programme in the UNDP Lebanon Country Office and the team at the Ministry of Environment, the International Consultant will assume the lead responsibility for the project design and elaboration, the timely preparation of all the reports needed for the GEF including the PIF, Project Document and CEO Template and will coordinate the work of the national consultant (if hired).

For detailed information, please Refer to Annex I – Terms of Reference.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional Competencies:

Proven ability to prepare project documents under land degradation and/or biodiversity focal area for GEF on time
Proven ability to interact with and relate to people at all levels
Proven ability to work flexibly and independently with limited supervision and deliver quality results against tight deadlines and to work from a distance.
Strong planning, research, and analytical skills
Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s or equivalent degree in agriculture, environmental science or policy, ecosystem management or other closely related field.

Experience:

Minimum 10 years of work experience in sustainable land management, biodiversity, environmental policy, quarry rehabilitation or relevant field.

Languages:

Fluent in English.

Application:

Kindly refer to the Individual Consultant Procurement Notice and all related Annexes by visiting the below link:

http://www.lb.undp.org/content/lebanon/en/home/operations/procurement/

Please make sure to submit all the requested documents/information; otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete.

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.